Automatic washing apparatus for car body and the like



y 1970 SEIZO TATARA ETAL 3,510,893

AUTOMATIC WASHING APPARATUS FOR CAR BODY AND THE LIKE Filed April 16, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 l FIG.I. lb 6 v. 9 I l 5 '1 I H M 7 i l a: L. I J

z 8 2 3' ll 6 l lc b FIG.2

INVENTOR s5 /20 firm/M fisfl o 0090/ ,1970 SEIZO TATARA ETAL 3,510,

AUTOMATIC WASHING APPARATUS FOR CAR BODY AND THE LIKE Filed April 16, 1968 a ShetsSheet 2 May 12, 1970 SEIZO TATARA ETAL 3,510,893

AUTOMATIC WASHING APPARATUS FOR CARBODY AND THE LIKE Filed April 1-6. 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG.6.

FIG.7.

INVENTOR 55/20 fififl M United States Patent 3,510,898 AUTOMATIC WASHING APPARATUS FOR CAR BODY AND THE LIKE Seizo Tatara, 18 Takidai-cho, Funabashi-shi, Chiba-ken,

Japan; Yoshio Odachi, 1477 Higashiterao-cho, Tsurumiku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa-ken, Japan; and Masaru Tokoro, 146, l-chome, chofu-Minemachi, ()hta-ku, Tokyo, Japan Filed Apr. 16, 1968, Ser. No. 721,667 Int. Cl. B60s 3/06 U.S. Cl. -21 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A car washing apparatus capable of automatically washing the exterior of an automobile. The apparatus includes a support structure for the vehicle and a washing structure located over the support structure. One of these structures is movable relative to the other so that the action of the washing structure can be distributed over the exterior of the vehicle. This wash structure includes vertically suspended sheet members which may be in the form of strips of cloth or other suitable soft, water-absorbent sheet material. The liquid may be sprayed onto this sheet material or flexible tubes in the sheet material may direct washing liquid thereto. A structure is provided for causing these washing strips of sheet material to become attracted to and to cling to the exterior of the vehicle. This latter structure takes the form of permanent magnets imbedded in soft rubber and attached to the fabric strips of sheet material so that the magnets by attraction to the metal of the car will cause the sheet material to cling to the exterior surface which is being washed, so as to achieve a frictional rubbing between the sheet material surface and the exterior car surface.

The present invention relates to an automatic washing apparatus for automobiles, particularly passenger cars, and the primary object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of said type whereby the body and other external casing of a car are perfectly washed in a short time without requiring any human hand and which is easy to operate and functions positively.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, FIG. 1 is a top plan illustrating afirst embodiment of the present apparatus; FIG. 2 is a front view thereof; FIG. 3 is a perspective View illustrating a second embodiment of the present apparatus; FIG. 4 is a front view of a washing band used in the present apparatus; FIG. 5 is a schematic plan illustrating a third embodiment of the present apparatus; FIG. 6 is a front view illustrating a fourth embodiment; FIG. 7 is a side view thereof; and FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a form of a quantitative emulsifier used in the present apparatus.

For washing of the car body or chassis, there are conventionally known various apparatuses consisting of a shower means and a brush assembly which rotates at high speed. However, any of such apparatuses requires human hand for operation thereof and also, since the washed part of the body is frictionally rubbed with the rotating brush at high speed, such part, particularly coated part on the body, is susceptible to scratches or other cuts. Further, such apparatus requires a long time to complete desired washing.

The present invention is designed to eliminate these defects. According to the invention, a plurality of washing bands which cling to the car body with an appropriate force are used instead of the conventional highspeed rotating brushes, and to these bands are introduced washing liquid and cleanser or compressed air,

3,510,898 Patented May 12, 1970 arrangement in which the elongated washing bands having strong attraction particularly to metallic materials are composed of a soft, water-absorbing material, and a plurality of these bands are mounted at suitable intervals on a horizontal frame so as to suspend from said frame, and also a car holding pedestal is provided just below said frame, with either said frame or pedestal being fixed while the other being arranged rotatable or movable, and liquid or gas is supplied to said bands.

The invention will be further illustrated by way of its embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. The elongated washing bands 2 depending downwardly from the horizontal frame 1 are made of highly water-absorptive porous flexible cloth material, such as urethane sponge or long-fluffed mohair, and each of these bands is usually composed of two pieces of cloth sewn together and has contained therein a plurality of flexible pipes 4 communicated to a water supply pipe 3 of the horizontal frame I. Said each band 2 is also provided with suitable means for attracting each band or strip to the car surface. As will also be noted, the upper half of each band 2 is covered with a soft elastic material 2a, such as vinyl.

In FIG. 4 is shown an example of such washing band in which a plurality of small pieces 5 of permanent magnet, preferably magnets covered with soft rubber, are arranged at suitable intervals on the cloth.

In another form of such washing band 2, for example flexible pipes are provided therein, with a vacuum adsorption disc being mounted at the end of each of said pipes. When given an adsorbing force with application of suitable pressure, said disc produces a strong adsorbing action as against the exterior of the car body, just in the case of said rubber-covered magnet.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the present apparatus, in which the horizontal frame 1 is fixed while the car holding pedestal 6 is arranged rotatable. At a side of the car holding pedestal 6 is provided an electric motor 7. Said pedestal 6 is so arranged as to be rotated r by bevel gears in one direction or in both directions alternately at a fixed cycle. 8 is a brush rotating means whereby the brush is rotated to clean the bottom. parts of the car body.

In this embodiment, the horizontal frame 1 is circular in form and connected always equally spaced to a smaller concentric endless water supply pipe 1a through a plurality of connecting pipes 1b. This endless water supply pipe is connected through radial pipes 10 to a water distributor 3a disposed in the center of the frame 1, and said water distributor 3a is in turn connected to an optionally arranged water supply pipe 3.

In the surface of each of said connecting pipes 1b are formed a desired number of small spouts l'b from which water is spouted to said washing bands 2 suspended from these connecting pipes.

10 denotes dispelling rods each having at its end a small roller 10b. Said rods are fixedly provided at both sides of the car holding pedestal and are arranged so that the upper half of the rod can be bent at any desired angle with the aid of a universal joint 10a.

In practice, a car 11 to be washed is placed on the car holding pedestal 6 which is slowly turned along with the car thereon, while water or other suitable cleansing liquid guided from the Water supply pipe 3 through the water distributor 3a and the endless water duct 10 is supplied from the spouts 1'!) of each connecting pipe 1b to the washing bands 2. Water'is then discharged out from the flexible pipes 4 disposed in said *bands and wets the entire surface of each washing band. Since these wetted bands are adsorbed to the external surface of the car body by the attracting force of the adsorbing means, such as rubbercovered magnet, the external surface is thereby successively washed in accordance with turning of the car. The washing bands which have finished with the adsorbing and washing operation are successively separated from the external surface of the car body by the separating rod rotating with the pedestal, while at the same time, the other wetted washing bands are successively attracted to the car surface either by suction or magnetic attraction. Thus, the car body or chassis is perfectly washed within a short time without requiring any human hand during that operation.

Liquid to be supplied to the washing bands in this apparatus may be pure water, foam-containing cleanser, aqueous wax or warm water which may be suitably selected as occasion demands. In case of using foam-containing cleanser or aqueous wax, compressed air is fed therewith, whereby the car body is covered with a large amount of foams, resulting in even enhanced washing effect. Finally, moisture deposited on the washing bands and the car shell is absorbed via said piping by a vacuum pump, such as a rotary Nash pump, and then the car is passed under a warm air curtain utilizing waste heat to thereby complete the final drying finish.

In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 3, a car is fixed or stopped on a pedestal or floor and the wetted washing bands are rubbingly moved therearound.

In this embodiment, chain belts 9 each being moved horizontally by a pair of sprocket wheels 12 are each provided with an endless string 9a rotating therewith, to which a plurality of equally spaced washing bands 2 same as described above are suspended so as to be moved in one direction or in both directions alternately at a fixed period by said sprocket wheels 12. Water is supplied to the washing bands 2 from a water supply pipe 13 disposed around said chain belts and formed with a plurality of spouts 13a, and the thus wetted bands 2 are successively attracted to the car body to thereby conduct the washing operation. Liquid used in this embodiment and the final dehydration and drying finish operations are completely same as in the first embodiment.

In the third embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the car holding pedestal 14 is arranged so as to be moved with the car being fixed in position by detents 15, and an assembly of washing bands 2 such as shown in said first and second embodiments are mounted thereabove. The washing operation is conducted by moving the pedestal. In this embodiment, too, same liquid and same dehydration and drying finish operations as in the first embodiment are used.

In the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the car holding pedestal 6 is fixed and washing of the car body 11 is conducted by linearly moving the horizontal frame.

Namely, in this embodiment, a gate-shaped frame 17 of substantially V-shaped configuration which can freely reciprocate on rails 16 is provided, and a pair of sprocket wheels 12 are mounted on said frame to permit horizontal moving of chain members 9 to which are secured endless strings 9a from which a plurality of washing bands 2 are suspended. There are also provided water supply pipes 13 from which washing liquid or cleanser is sprayed to the washing bands 2. Thus, washing of the car body 11 is effected by a matched combination of rubbing movements of the washing bands 2 and reciprocating movements of the gate-shaped frame 17. The dehydration and finish operations are same as in the first embodiment.

In this embodiment, problem arises in coupling of the end of each water supply pipe 13 secured to the reciprocating frame 17 and a water duct 18 from the outside. But, in this case, as shown in FIG. 7, each water duct 18 is coiled on a rotatably pivoted reel 19 and the outlet 20 of said duct is positioned at the rotation center of the reel 4 19 and thereat is coupled the water supply pipe end 13b, whereby the reel 19 can rotate in accordance with movement of the reciprocating frame 17 so as to wind up or deliver out the necessitated length of the water duct 18, and thus is solved the above problem.

Further, in case it is desired to provide air ducts or wire cords beside water ducts, the problem may be solved by providing additional reels. In the drawing is shown a case in which two rotary reels 19 are provided.

FIG. 8 shows a quantitative emulsifier provided in the water supply pipe system. It will be seen that porous plates 22 and spongy material 23 are packed therein alternately, whereby the cleanser flowing out from a cleanser reservoir 24 is rendered uniform in concentration and then mixed in the washing water.

10 in FIG. 6 denotes separating rods each having a rotatable roller 10c, whereby the washing bands 2 are forced away from the car body 11 and lined up. 25 denotes fastening means for swayably securing the washing bands 2 to endless strings 911.

It should also be noted that in said first embodiment, a cog-like indentation may be formed around the periphery of the horizontal frame 1 and a motor 7 having a gear corresponding to said indentation may be provided so that the horizontal frame having suspended therefrom a plurality of wetted washing bands 2 may rotate in one direction or in both directions alternately at fixed intervals, thus enabling to conduct desired washing by keeping the car rested still on the pedestal.

Thus, according to the present invention, only by passing the car to be washed under the suspended washing bands for a short time, soil and stains on the car body surface are perfectly washed away and the car, after having been dried, is guided outside of the apparatus, without requiring any human hand during all of these operations.

We claim:

1. In a car washing apparatus, a pedestal unit for supporting a car during washing thereof, a frame unit situated at least in part over said pedestal unit, a plurality of flexible bands of water-absorbent sheet material suspended from said frame unit and extending down to the elevation of a car on said pedestal unit, means operatively connected with at least one of said units for moving the latter with respect to the other of said units to provide relative movement between a car and said bands suspended from said frame, attracting means carried by said bands for attracting the latter to the exterior surface of a car on the pedestal unit to provide frictional rubbing between the bands and the exterior surface of the car during relative movement therebetween, and means for directing fluid to the areas of engagement between the bands and exterior surface of car on said pedestal unit.

2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said frame unit includes fluid conduits situated over said pedestal and from which said bands are suspended said means for supplying fluid communicating with said fluid conduits for directing fluid therefrom to said bands.

3. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said frame unit includes sprocket wheels situated in a horizontal plane and endless chains operatively connected with said wheels to be moved thereby, said bands being suspended from said endless chains, and said means for supplying fluid directing the latter to the bands suspended from the chains.

4. The combination of claim 1 and wherein the moving means is operatively connected to said pedestal unit for moving the latter relative to said frame unit.

5. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said moving means rotates one of said units relative to the other.

6. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said attracting means includes permanent magnets carried by said bands for causing the latter to be attracted to the metal body of a car.

7. The combination of claim 1 and wherein a rotary brush means is situated at an elevation adjacent the pedestal unit for engaging and washing lower regions of a car.

8. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said frame unit is in the form of a gate of substantially U-shaped configuration and said pedestal carrying rails which guide said frame unit for movement relative to said pedestal unit.

9. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said means for supplying fluid includes an emulsifier having porous plates and spongy material for achieving a uniform concentration in a cleaning liquid which is mixed with washing water.

10. The combination of claim 8 and wherein rotary reels are carried by said frame unit and said fluid supply means including ducts coiled on said reels to be wound and unwound therefrom during movement of said frame unit along said rails.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,908,788 5/1933 Pulliam 1597 2,544,066 3/1951 Chenault 1597 3,011,501 12/1961 Beranek 134-123 X 3,160,903 12/1964 Grass 15-97 3,337,896 8/1967 Allen. 3,345,666 10/1967- Hanna et a1. 1597 X 3,362,349 1/1968 Kirkland.

EDWARD L. ROBERTS, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. l5--97 

